Public News Service

The Fermi II nuclear plant suddenly shut down over the weekend as workers prepared for refueling. Advocates argue that EGLE hasn't adequately engaged with the public before issuing permits for the facility about its release of wastewater. (Adobe Stock)

MI groups demand more public input in EGLE decisions

Michigan U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib - D-Dearborn - is among the advocates urging Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to more …

Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline transports 22 million gallons of crude oil and natural gas liquids across 645 miles of countryside every day, from Superior, Wis., through Michigan's Upper Peninsula, under the Straits of Mackinac to refineries in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. (Adobe Stock)

Michiganders in Cincinnati in pursuit of Line 5 shutdown

Dana Nessel, Michigan's Attorney General, joined Indigenous and conservation groups at a demonstration Thursday in Cincinnati, highlighting what they …

According to the EPA, most EVs can be charged with a standard 120-volt (Level 1) outlet. To charge them more quickly, you can install a dedicated 240-volt (Level 2). (Mike Mareen/Adobe Stock)

Report: EV puts money back into Michigan drivers' pockets

Michigan is seeing growth in new electric-vehicle market share, and EV enthusiasts say lower prices are just part of their appeal. The latest …

View from underneath of the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan, one of the longest suspension bridges in the world. (ehrlif/Adobe Stock)

New Year brings renewed concerns over Great Lakes Line 5 project

The New Year brings a chorus of familiar concerns about the risks of building a 21-foot diameter tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac for oil and gas …

Piping plover sits near sand bags used by Enbridge in its Bad River bank stabilization project in Ashland County, Wis. (MierCat Photography/Adobe Stock)

Line 5 moves forward, despite wildlife advocates' calls for shutdown

Conservation groups in Michigan and the Great Lakes region say they'll keep calling for an orderly shutdown of the Line 5 oil pipeline, despite the …

Pipeline Number 5 lies beneath the Straits of Mackinaw. Opponents claim the aging oil line threatens the largest freshwater system in the world. (ehrlif/Adobe Stock)

Fast-track Line 5 permitting push met with protest

Michigan's Senate GOP pushed for fast track of Enbridge's Line 5 tunnel construction at a press conference this week. Sen. John Damoose, R-Harbor …

Climate change board games emphasize teamwork and group success. Either all players win together, or no one survives. (pathdoc/Adobe Stock)

Climate change: Better understood through board games?

By Debra J. Rosenthal for The Conversation.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for Michigan News Connection for the Public News Service-Conversation …

Tonight: Great Lakes Documentary Premieres in Traverse City

They're calling it an "adventure conservation documentary," and the film has its first showing tonight in Traverse City. "Troubled Water" chronicles …

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing standards to regulate emissions from five unmeasured fugitive and intermittent particulate sources. (Aaron/Adobe Stock)

Comments About EPA's Proposed Rules for Blast Furnaces End Today

Emission standards for blast furnaces such as the iron and steel mills in Michigan haven't been updated in years. The Environmental Protection …

An estimated 2.4 million people work on farms and ranches nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Census of Agriculture. (Stiefi/Adobe Stock)

No Heat Protections for Michigan Outdoor Workers

By Mónica Cordero, Investigate Midwest/Report for America and Eva Tesfaye, Harvest Public Media for Investigate Midwest.Broadcast version by …

The Enbridge Line 5 oil pipeline runs for four miles on the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac, carrying millions of gallons of crude each day from Canada to Michigan. (Adobe Stock)

Michigan Tribes, Others File Grievance With UN Over Line 5 Project

Representatives of 51 tribes and First Nations have presented a demand to the United Nations to call on Canada to end its support for the Enbridge Lin…

Ann Arbor's A2Zero program is designed to transform the city of 125,000 to carbon neutrality by 2030. (Adobe Stock)

Ann Arbor initiative Aims to Render the City Carbon Neutral by 2030

By Avery Schuyler Nunn for Grist.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Michigan News Connection reporting for the Grist-Public News Service Collabo…

A project to reclaim empty and abandoned lots across Detroit has brought a host of native plants and animals to communities across the city. (amphiphan/Adobe Stock)

Detroit Arboretum, Zoo Lead Connected-Habitat Restoration Project

By Tom Perkins for Planet Detroit.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Michigan News Connection with support from the Solutions Journalism Network…

Michigan environmental activists have begun to focus on environmental justice issues in low-income communities that bear the brunt of industrial pollution and political indifference. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental Activists Adopt New Tactics to Battle Michigan Polluters

By Tom Perkins for Planet Detroit.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Michigan News Connection with support from the Solutions Journalism Network…

Jon Kent (kneeling) and a cadre of volunteers are raising vegetables and feeding the community from their urban farm at Charlevoix and Lakeview streets in East Detroit. (Sanctuary Farms)

Young Farmers of Color: Feed Detroit, Fight Injustice, Protect Climate

By Britny Cordera for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Michigan News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-…

The EPA claims that the EES Coke Battery plant has emitted thousands of tons of sulfur dioxide annually beyond its permitted limit of 2,100 tons. (Wikipedia)<br />

Detroit Neighborhood in Court to Hold Industrial Polluter Accountable

Members of a Detroit-area community are intervening in an Environmental Protection Agency lawsuit against a DTE Energy subsidiary charged with dumping…

The 26,000-foot Mackinac Bridge runs over the Straits of Mackinac, connecting Michigan's Upper Peninsula with the main part of the state. (Kenneth Kiefer/Adobe Stock)

MI Environmental Groups Oppose Oil Pipeline Project Under Great Lakes

The long-running feud between Canadian energy giant Enbridge and a coalition of Michigan environmentalists and tribal nations has reached another mile…

The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change notes that without drastic action, impacts from severe storms and flooding will continue to worsen. (Cory Seeman/Adobe Stock)

MI Group: Oil Pipeline Tunnel Plan Not In Sync with State's Climate Goals

This Earth Month, Michigan leaders took the opportunity to release a new roadmap for a carbon-neutral state economy by 2050. In addition to …

Advocates of President Joe Biden's Build Back Better agenda say it would create millions of well-paying jobs. (ehrlif/Adobe Stock)

MI Officials Urge Bold Action as COP26 Concludes

MARTIN, Mich. -- As leaders from around the world meet in Scotland, the United States' plan to tackle climate change is coming into focus. The Build …

Line 5 is just one of many oil and gas pipelines that environmental groups and Native American tribes contend are threats to sacred and biodiverse waterways. (Oil and Water Don't Mix Coalition)

Groups Urge White House to Support 'Line 5' Shutdown

MACKINAW CITY, Mich. - Environmental groups and tribal communities are asking the Biden administration to stand with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in her …

Like many across the country, the Benton Harbor water distribution system is more than 100 years old. (Adobe Stock)

MI Community Faces Water Crisis, Calls for Lead Pipe Replacement

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- As Congress continues to negotiate infrastructure and social safety-net bills, advocates for environmental justice say …

The Oil and Water Don't Mix Coalition sent Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau water from the Straits of Mackinac, a symbolic reminder of their shared responsibility to safeguard the Great Lakes.(Oil and Water Don't Mix)

Water Activists in MI Urge Canada to Stop Supporting Line 5

DETROIT -- Water activists are calling on Canadian officials to back Michigan's efforts to close the Line 5 dual pipelines, which have spilled more …

Before Mackinaw City, the Red Road to DC Project stopped in Idaho, Utah, New Mexico, South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota. (House of Tears Carvers)

'Red Road to DC' Project: Protect Sacred Lands from Resource Extraction

MACKINAW CITY, Mich. -- A group of artisans from Lummi Nation is carrying a 25-foot carved totem pole from Washington state to Washington, D.C.…

According to data from Michigan State University, Michigan ranks 12th in concentration of families that can't afford their water bills. (ricardoreitmeyer/Adobe Stock)

Advocates Call for Clean, Affordable Water for Residents of Detroit, Flint

DETROIT -- Environmental-justice advocates urged the federal government to invest in restoring the Great Lakes, confronting the climate crisis and …

Enbridge Inc.'s Line 5, which runs through the Straits of Mackinac, has spilled more than 1 million gallons of fossil fuels into waters since 1968, according to researchers. (Wikimedia Commons)

Groups Urge Enbridge to Obey Order, Close Line 5

LANSING, Mich. - Groups rallied yesterday to oppose oil transport giant Enbridge's decision to keep its controversial Line 5 pipeline open - in …

According to the Yellow Dog Watershed, a 2013 EPA survey found 21% of U.S. river and stream lengths are in good biological condition, down from 27% in 2004. Hills Falls, on the Yellow Dog River, is among them. (Jeremiah Eagle Eye/Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve)<br />

Waterkeeper Groups Work to Preserve MI Fresh Waters

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - Water quality and conservation practices around Michigan reach both its Lower and Upper Peninsulas, and two local waterkeepers …

Water bottles and other plastic pollution along Lake Michigan can break down into tiny particles that hurt wildlife. (daveynin/Flickr)

Seven Great Lakes Communities Collaborate on Cleanup Effort

LANSING, Mich. -- Some Michiganders are part of a multi-state effort this week to clean up and protect the Great Lakes. The volunteer campaign …

Research found nearly 150,000 jobs could be created by fully powering Michigan by renewable energy by 2050. (Pixabay)

Michigan Welcomes Federal Unity on Climate Change

LANSING, Mich. -- President Joe Biden's global climate summit could be a turning point in the fight for climate action. Forty heads of state are …

The Line 5 pipelines run as deep as 270 feet below the surface of the Straits of Mackinac. (Justin BillauFlickr)<br />

Line 5 Critics Call for Equal Time

LANSING, Mich. -- Some Michigan business leaders are sounding the alarm on what they said are efforts to undermine the governor's order to shut down …

President Joe Biden is moving swiftly on policies to move the nation closer to a clean-energy economy. (Adobe Stock)

Michigan Groups Welcome More Climate Action from Biden

LANSING, Mich. -- Conservation groups in Michigan are welcoming the Biden administration's commitment to environmental protection. President Biden …

Opponents say increasing the capacity of a toxic-waste facility puts the health of 10,000 Detroit-area residents at even greater risk. (Coalition to Oppose Expansion of U.S. Ecology)<br />

Michiganders Find Solidarity in Fighting Hazardous Waste

LANSING, Mich. -- Despite losing their battle against the expansion of a toxic waste facility in Detroit, opponents of the project say they will …

Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation contends the state failed act to protect water resources from corporate interests. (MCWC)

Groups Call Ruling a Win for Michigan's Water, Democracy

LANSING, Mich. — Despite a legal victory against a major corporation, environmental and community groups are not letting their guards down when …

A new report finds that 130 million Americans depend on water systems that have violated the Safe Drinking Water Act. (Earl 53/Morguefile)

Report: Water-Pollution Laws Poorly Enforced in Communities of Color

LANSING, Mich. – Low-income communities of color – such as Flint, Michigan, or Newark, New Jersey – are much more likely than white…

In recent years, Michiganders have gathered in the capital to advocate for clean drinking water on World Water Day. (Valerie Jean)

MI Voices Waiting to Be Heard on World Water Day

DETROIT – Michiganders plan to come out and show their support for the right to clean drinking water. Friday marks the 26th annual World …

The RISE event Saturday night in Flint will include local performers and a call to action on environmental justice. (People's Climate Movement Michigan)

Conservation Groups Gather for Two Major Events in Flint This Weekend

FLINT, Mich. – Hundreds of people concerned about climate and environmental justice from around the state are gathering in Flint tomorrow for …

Cities across Michigan will join hundreds around the globe to celebrate World Water Day. (Valerie Jean/People�s Water Board of Detroit)

A Call for Accountability on World Water Day

LANSING, Mich. — Folks from all ends of the state are being called upon to raise their voices for clean water. World Water Day is Thursday…

Support for a Michigan community fighting a corporate giant has come from around the world. (K. Turnbull/MCWC)

Donations Pour In to Help MI Community Protect Its Water

OSCEOLA TWP., Mich. – A small Michigan community will receive an early holiday gift in the form of donations from around the world as it tries …

The group Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation believes Nestle is breaking the law in Evart. (MCWC)

Group Asks Governor to Shut Down Nestlé's Pumping in Evart

EVART, Mich. – As a judge and state officials prepare to make decisions that will impact whether the world's largest water bottler can increase …

President Donald Trump's actions to roll back environmental regulations will be the focus of Earth Day demonstrations this week, in Michigan and across the country. (Anthony Baker/Wikimedia Commons)

New Focus for Earth Day 2017: National Security?

LANSING, Mich. – The Earth Day commemorations this coming Saturday will have a new focus – the Trump administration. As the president …

The women of Flint got the ball rolling on the response to the city's poisoned water. (Michigan NOW)

The Women of Flint: Warriors of the Water Crisis

FLINT, Mich. - Whether it was the foul smell and brown color or the resulting rashes and hair loss, many Flint residents were immediately concerned …

At the state Capitol, environmental groups will demonstrate what they say is the hazardous state of energy production in Michigan. (Brian Charles Watson/Wikimedia)

Statehouse Rally to Show "Hazards" of Inaction on Clean Power Plan

LANSING, Mich. – Activists donning hazmat suits and respirators will take to the steps of Michigan's Capitol today to show their outrage over …

A new report shows how small creatures in Michigan, including the flying squirrel, are threatened by climate change. (Pratikppf/Wikimedia)

Groundhogs and Flying Squirrels to Flee Michigan?

LANSING, Mich. – Woody the Woodchuck's February weather prediction is a beloved event for many Michiganders, but warming temperatures could …

The Land and Conservation Fund helps protect the Ottowa National Forest. Credit: Joseph O'Brien, USDA Forest Service

Federal Fund Expiration Could Threaten Michigan's "Crowned Jewels"

LANSING, Mich. - Conservation groups are not giving up their fight to continue a program that supports some of Michigan's, and the nation's, crowned …

The pesticide sulfoxaflor should not have been registered because it can kill bees and other pollinators, according to a federal court ruling. Credit: AcryllicArtist/morguefile.com

Court: EPA Should Not Have Approved Bee-Killing Pesticide

MIDLAND, Mich. - A pesticide that kills bees should not have been cleared for agricultural use by the Environmental Protection Agency. The Ninth …

PHOTO: While public hearings will not be held in Michigan, residents can still have their say on the EPA's plan to reduce carbon emissions at power plants by submitting a comment online. Photo courtesy of Click / Morguefile.com.

All Sides to Weigh In on Clean Power Plan

DETROIT - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants to hear from Michiganders and others across the nation about its newly-announced Clean Power…

PHOTO: A new report shows that energy-efficiency policies could be all Michigan needs to meet new EPA carbon reduction rules, which are expected to be issued next week. Photo credit: Microsoft Images.

Report: Efficiency is the Easy Way for MI to Meet Carbon Rules

Lansing, MI - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to announce new carbon pollution controls in a matter of days. They will affect …

PHOTO: Utility crews have worked around the clock to restore power to the nearly 600,000 Michiganders impacted by last week's ice storms, but much work lies ahead for home and business owners. Photo courtesy of Mona Shand

Insurance Advice Following Power Outages

LANSING, Mich. - The lights are finally back on for many of the nearly 600,000 Michigan homes and businesses whose electric power was knocked out by …

PHOTO: A Child in Belinger Park, located between the River Rouge plant and steel mill. Credit: Ami Vitale/Panos Pictures

Voter Mobilization Efforts Step Up the Pace for Clean Energy

FLINT, Mich. – Get out the vote efforts are underway across Michigan ahead of next week’s general election. Faith leaders and the …

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MI: Environmental Justice